Houston, Texas, the fourth largest city in the US, has recently been devastated by the effects of Hurricane Harvey. As the flood waters begin to recede, those hit worst by the storm now have the traumatic task of rebuilding their homes and lives.

With Hurricane Harvey expected to be the most expensive storm in US history (exceeding Hurricane Katrina), the White House is expected to ask Congress for $14.5 billion in relief funds. “The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has said it will have to work for several years to help Houston and surrounding areas to recover and Abbott said the eventual bill for the federal government would exceed the $120 billion required after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.” How else does Harvey compare to previous storms? Read the full story here.

In light of Hurricane Harvey, as adverse weather patterns become a more frequent occurrence due to climate change, the question must be asked: how can countries better prepare for weather disasters and what impact can these storms have? Read more here.

Unfortunately, in the wake of Harvey is Hurricane Irma, a category 4 storm that has already resulted in catastrophic loss in the Caribbean, and now makes its way to Florida.

We have a provided a summary of the recent natural catastrophes to affect the US, here.